


The One They Miss

by eventidefalls, ShunRenDan



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Spoilers - Kingdom Hearts III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 12:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17725292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eventidefalls/pseuds/eventidefalls, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShunRenDan/pseuds/ShunRenDan
Summary: Naminé wonders where she fits into their perfect little picture.





	The One They Miss

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its content, just this fanfiction.

Returning to life was surreal in more ways than one. With Xion back in the picture, it was as though a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. While everyone else forgot, she still remembered her: after all, Xion had requested for her to watch over Roxas in her place, a duty which she fulfilled splendidly.

While everyone else seemed to be engaged in their own activities (with the exception of Kairi, who remained at her usual place), Naminé decided to pull herself away from the crowd. Even though she was elated to finally meet everyone in person and often spent her time with them, something told her that she didn’t quite belong.

Parties had never been her scene, even in her imagination, but it wasn't hard to see that the others were having fun. Isa and Lea were animatedly arguing with Ventus over something that the little blonde didn't seem to understand; Terra and Aqua were consulting with Riku about matters that looked serious until Terra laughed, caught Naminé's gaze with a reassuring smile, and let her feel like she wasn't a black key in a sea of silver.

It’s not until her eyes travel over Roxas, flickering almost by him, that she remembers the reason she’s a ghost amidst a sea of bodies.

Her eyes flickered over Roxas and she is reminded of what she had told Sora before the final battle.

He’s the one they all miss, she mouthed, for her own benefit than anyone else’s.

“It’s… not me,” she murmured to herself, inaudible to everyone else but her. Her eyes trailed down to what she had managed to sketch out across the pages of her white book as she took a seat at the edge of the pier.

Sora, Kairi and Riku were drawn on one part of the paper, next to the similarly proportioned Donald, Goofy and King Mickey. Isa, Lea, Roxas and Xion waited in the blank points to the right, their landscape completed by her renditions of Hayner, Pence and Olette; the whole lot of them were like one huge gang, brought together by their connection to Roxas.

Where exactly did she fit into this perfect picture?

She vaguely registered the sound of footsteps gingerly stepping against the wooden surface of the pier, enough to let her know that whoever it was, they were not trying to scare her with a loud and brusque entrance.

Namine quickly – but gently – shifted her sketchbook, shielding the image from whoever was behind her. She didn’t need someone else to know about the things she thought about, the insecurities she held close to her heart; she already had more than what she could ask for, and even that came at a price.

Roxas raised his hand to greet her when she glanced over her shoulder to find him on his approach.

Destiny Islands was not his favorite world, but it hadn't taken him long to find her. He felt her presence from miles away, even though they were no longer linked in the same sense that they once were. Perhaps it had just been a feeling, but he knew from the start that he'd have found her at the end of the docks, where seagulls swung low in lazy loops toward the cresting waves.

There was something calming about the place that he understood well, even if he didn't see it the same way. The rhythmic tide brought with it a semblance of comfort that was familiar to the both of them in some distant, ancient sense. Whether it was because of the roots that connected them to Sora and Kairi, he didn't know, but he knew a cozy spot to hang when he saw one.

And since everything about Naminé screamed cozy to him…

It just hadn't been a far leap, was all.

"Hey," he began, lamely.

Part of him wished he had Sora's gift of gab. The guy could've talked the ears off of an elephant. In the meanwhile, he settled instead for joining her at the pier's edge, taking a seat beside her and kicking his feet over the sea-foam.

"Got a sec?"

Naminé nodded, concern seeping into her eyes in an instant. That was the one that Roxas used, right when he was searching for answers and he had been looking for her to get those questions answered and, of course, the truth to who he really was — only she held the answers to that because everyone else refused to tell him, feeling that he was undeserving of the truth.

"What brings you here, Roxas?” she inquired as puts her sketchbook aside, leaning closer towards him as she sought out for answers, hidden in the stormy depths in his azure eyes, flecked with specks of amber reflected by the glow of the sun. “Is something wrong?”

He fiddled with the ring on his index finger before he responded, thinking carefully about what exactly he wanted to say. He averted his gaze for just a second, venturing to look out at the glassy sea and the infinite skies that spread out over them. Unfamiliar clouds gathered on the distant horizon as puffy balls of white cotton. They were so doubtless.

He tried to channel that.

"I heard what you were saying," he finally said. From deep within depths of Sora’s heart, he felt the weightlessness of his entire being and even though her voice had been faint, he still could hear it, through Sora.

Roxas let his announcement sink in, still fiddling with his rings and the thought that she might recoil at any second. He didn't want to scare her off or make her dive into the sea or something, but he had more to say and he wasn't going to wait to say it.

"You know that's not true, right? That whole thing about how you won't be missed."

Roxas leveled his eyes on her, his expression flecked by a familiar concern. It was possible that she hadn't realized she'd said it aloud. Maybe she thought that nobody would have been around to hear, or that she could carry the hurt in her heart, like a flag slung over her shoulder without anybody else seeing.

"I know. Sora said that," she reinforced the knowledge, letting it sear into her brain. "It doesn’t feel like it though but… I don’t know, it could be the part of me that doesn't want to acknowledge it.”

In spite of the fact that the worst was over, Naminé found it hard to still bring herself to be close to people on a deeper level: she was willing to be open and share her thoughts with them, the desire to befriend others very real and solid, but she was also equally aware of the fact that were so many secrets she had yet to say.

Roxas, sensing that she knew more than she let on, began to delve deeper.

"Nami—"

_Thwack!_

A loud splash accompanied soon after as Roxas pitched forward into the water, stunned from the hit he took the side of his head, and crashed head first into the shallow waters of the isles.

In the distance, Naminé could hear Lea cackling at the disaster that just unfurled before him in the distance, accompanied with yells of "Sorry not sorry", accompanied by a chorus of laughter. It was only when Roxas did not quite react instantly like he normally would that the girl got worried and began to take action.

Without hesitation, she put her sketchpad aside and pushed herself off the edge of the pier. Naminé shuddered the moment the cold hit her ankles, as well as her calves, as she reached down to tug Roxas to the surface and onto the shore. Riku and Xion had already ran over, making sure that the young man was still alive, even though he might not be kicking. In the distance, she could still hear Lea cackling before Isa bopped him hard on the head, diving straight into a lecture on the dangers of hitting others in the head with a flying disk at full speed and then, there were raised voices, with Pence caught in the middle of it all as he attempted to be the mediator between the two of them.

Within moments, people began to flock around Roxas, checking on him. Lea and Isa were engaged in their own argument; Olette and Xion were helping to tug his outer shirt while Riku removed his jacket for use as a pillow.

Terra stood in the distance, a hand placed on Ven’s shoulder to prevent him from running forward, allowing Roxas some breathing space; Hayner stood next to him, uncertain of what they can do to help his friend directly; when he didn't seem to think of anything he could immediately do, he stiffened and waited.

Everyone crowded Roxas, leaving Naminé to stand there, soaked, saltwater dripping from the ends of her hair.

Aqua cut through the crowd, lowering her hand to Roxas's chest as she knelt beside him. A soft green glow washed over him, showcasing the spell’s effects almost instantly.

Naminé assessed the situation playing out before her as everyone (except Kairi) attended to Roxas’ situation. From the corner of her eye, the blonde-haired girl saw the princess look over for a brief moment, studying the situation and wondering whether she needed to be there before turning back towards the setting sun, reminiscing over her lost love.

It was hard to tell if she was dismissing the situation or if she simply knew there was no point in joining the ruckus.

No matter how Naminé tried to see it otherwise or how Sora insisted, it was hard to believe that anyone else would remember that she existed. Even though right now she was supposed to be focusing on Roxas’ well-being, it was crystal clear that he was going to be alright.

As for herself, the artist highly doubted she would be fine, not when the truth was right in front of her face.

He’s the one they all miss.

And it was playing out right in front of her.

Bit by bit, she shuffled till she was certain that nobody noticed her, their attention fixated somewhere else, and the blonde-haired girl made her way to the other side of the island, away from the chaos that was swallowing Roxas on the beach.

Night fell and it began to drizzle. Within seconds, it began to pour. Naminé suspected Kairi had a part in this but somehow, she knew that there was a cave somewhere on the beach, blocked by a boulder. There was another opening, only accessible if there was a boulder or a box placed below it to elevate her to higher ground.

After much debating with herself, Naminé ended up going for the first option; she did not have the upper body strength to push herself up to elevated ground. The sand was moist, soaked in rainwater. Specks of mud trailed against her shoes and the white of her dress, also flecked by sand.

For a while, she basked in the silence.

It wasn't until a familiar shock of messy blond hair pushed through the cave entrance after her, just as wet, just as rained on as she was.

“How…?”

“Kairi told me,” Roxas replied. “There are a ton of hiding places, here… but only two good ones. Kairi said that you could get here on foot, so...”

She didn’t need to ask for what he meant. As long as Sora wasn’t around, it was difficult for them to think of anything beyond the past.

The spikes of his hair were not deterred by the falling droplets of water that clung to them, determined to prove their worth. Every other part of him was soaked to the bone but the moment he summoned his Keyblade, all it took was a strong aero spell and their clothes became dry, along with their hair. It was then gone just as quickly as it'd come, banished to the confines of his heart by a flash of light.

Naminé’s fingers reached out to touch the side of his head where Lea’s disc had hit rather hard.

“You okay?” she asked, concerned. “I’m sorry I left earlier… but it looked like you were in good hands.”

“Yeah, and don't worry about it,” he continued before coming to a pause, scrutinising her for a moment before stripping himself of his outer shirt. As he attempted to place it around her, she pulled away and he glared at her, tenderness flecking the edges of his eyes with his lips pursed together in annoyance. "The others went inside. Don't like getting rained on, I guess."

Naminé could not help but tear her own eyes away from his, ashamed to see herself reflected in them. Nevertheless, he still went his way, making sure that she was well bundled in his outer shirt before continuing the topic they had earlier — before he got knocked out.

“Shouldn’t you be with them?” the girl dared herself to ask, eyes lifting up to see his. “I’d have gone back once the rain stopped.”

“What, and leave you all alone? Not a chance,” Roxas scoffed, clearly offended by her statement. His friend evidently needed someone but she never felt she deserved it and that made it all the more dangerous to acquiesce to her. His eyes were set ablaze but soon, they softened and he gave her a concerned look of his own.

He wasn't mad at her, he was just worried.

“What’s on your mind, Naminé?”

He asked so tenderly that Naminé could not help but let out a defeated sigh, well aware she could no longer run from it, neither could she hide from it. She found purchase in the warmth of his body and she moved closer to him. Instinctively, he brought an arm around her to pull her closer as they listened to the sound of the rain, falling in sequence.

“You’re the one they miss,” she repeats, reinforced by the sight that played out before her. “Not me. Just now, it showed.”

There were not many moments where she was the one who needed reassurance, especially when it came to Roxas. Her ability over memories allowed her to trace connections, to bring them out when the time needed it, but that was about it. She could not forge new memories in the hearts of her friends without work.

Helping to bring those already born connections to the forefront was easy, but creating an entirely new chain of memories needed time and consistent maintenance. Naminé was more than willing to do that if it meant keeping the balance. If there was no need to, she would not.

And soaked in rainwater, with just Roxas beside her as an anchor, she figured she could not.

Roxas remained, studying her words carefully as the sound of thunder rumbled outside, followed by a flash of lightning. They were going to be stuck in the cave a while, waiting for the weather to pass.

After a second, he rested his head on hers.

"They're only acting all worried over me because of Sora," he replied, shrugging a little. "If Lea got hit in the head like that, everyone would've told him to look out and that he shouldn't go flailing into the sea like an idiot."

When Naminé didn't respond, Roxas's gaze flickered down, observing the way her typically lively curls clung to her head, watching as droplets of water cascaded down her shoulders to dot the fabric of her dress.

Beneath the would-be umbrella of his arm, he wondered if she just couldn't see it.

"What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't think too much of it," he finally managed.

"People would miss you, even if they don't say it, and saying that they wouldn't…"

He felt Naminé stir a little, her hair brushing against the curve of his chin.

"It's an insult."

Roxas's thumb traced the border of her shoulder, back and forth, wicking away little spots of rain as if her skin were a windshield and her comfort as simple as being clean.

"I mean, think about it. Half of them wouldn't be out there if it weren't for you. They're not dumb, and you're not either," he explained, lips tilted downward. He didn't want her to feel selfish, but he couldn't hide the way his tone changed. She needed to know that there was more to loving her than telling her in words.

"At the end of the day, you're the reason they're even here. A lot of them just don't know how to show that."

“To be fair, I did end up erasing most of their memories,” Naminé added on sadly. “I’ve met Hayner, Olette and Pence before but I was forced to erase any memory of me in order to maintain balance. It’s not exactly information we can tell them, since they’re so normal, in comparison to the rest of us.” She paused for a moment.

“And it’s not because of Sora. It’s because you’re you,” Naminé reassured her friend, a hand finding its way up to squeeze the hand that was around her shoulders. “Even if they’re looking out for you on Sora’s behalf, it’s because so many people did many things to bring you back. They’re not acting so don’t say that they are; it’s not fair to them.”

“It isn’t fair to you either,” Roxas responded, hints of anger staining his voice. She shivered, presumably from the cold. The flash of anger caught her off-guard, and even if it wasn't the first time she'd seen it, it was her first time being under the brunt of it. “You've gotta think about yourself too.”

She didn't move to immediately respond, and Roxas exhaled, already regretting it. He wasn't mad — not exactly — it was more frustration. It hurt him to see her left out in the shallows after being so selfless for so long; it reminded him of how he felt after losing Xion, when the rage and misery in his heart threatened to swallow him whole and lead him down a left-hand path.

Naminé was so bright and so supportive sometimes that it was hard to remember she wasn't exempt from the world's woes. She was possessed of a unique serenity that made it hard to believe worries could reach her in the first place, and part of him felt mad at himself for feeling that way.

"I'm sorry," he said, practically huffing. "It's just… these people love you, and they're grateful, trust me, but they haven't had the chance to get to know you yet. They don't know what's okay and what's not. At least half of the people out there today've seen me with my shirt off or cutting through a horde of monsters."

"And don't you say that either one of those things is more impressive than the others," he interjected, hoping that it might lighten the mood a little, turn her forced laugh into a more real one. "But I'm going to tell you something, because you deserve the truth, and you've gotta remember it, okay?"

Naminé nodded, finding that a single action alone spoke more than words ever did; she didn’t need to verbalise it. A part of her was curious what he had to say to her — was it something for her ears only or had he told it to everyone else?

"You've got to remember that they don't know you like I do," he began. "Like Kairi does. They don't know that you're hurting, but if they did…"

He shook his head, caught somewhere between emotions.

"Think about what you'd do for them, if they were hurting. If you walked in here and saw Lea sitting all alone, feeling left out, what would you do?"

Naminé knew the answer to that. She simply answered, “I’d simply do the same that I did with you: reach out for him, pull him back to show him the truth.”

Roxas's arm fell from her shoulder to her hip, and he nodded.

"Do you really think that they wouldn't wanna do the same for you?"

Naminé hummed, uncertainty evident in the tone.

“If they knew me better, probably. Sora, Kairi, Riku and you have proved it,” she admitted, beginning to realise where her mistake had occurred. There was something Roxas was good at that she was not: letting down her guard around the right people. Riku was similar in that regard.

"Of course I've proved it," he replied. "I'm a smart guy."

The arm around her waist pulled her just a little closer, while the rain beat on ceaselessly outside.

"People love you," he admitted. "And if they don't already, well… then they will soon. I'll make sure of that."

It sounded a little like he was going to bonk them over the head if they didn't.

"You deserve to know. That is all I'm saying.”

It didn't take long for Naminé’s mood to be lifted and she broke out into a fit of giggles.

“Thank you, Roxas,” she said, lifting her head so that her eyes could connect with his.

He held her gaze as long as he could before his eyes flickered down to her lips, then back up again.

Slowly, she tilted her chin, and he tilted his in turn.

"We should try to get back," she whispered.

It was impossible to miss the way she inhaled, as if taking the world into her heart so that it didn't bleed through her lips long enough that the rain outside could cut it to pieces. He didn't move – but her hand rose to his chest anyway – and fingers gently latched onto his lapel.

As if he would have dared pull away from her to begin with.

She'd always been there for him. Always given him the harsh truths, when he needed to hear them most. It was no understatement to say that listening to her, reassuring her, was the least he could do. He'd have moved the heavens and earth if it made her feel a little better, if she'd only asked.

"Yeah," he rasped, breathless.

His lips sank toward hers and the world went black just long enough that he registered her warmth, the way she shook despite it, and the insistent reminder in his heart that was his hand on her hip and the way that she felt pressed against him. Baptised by rain and seawater, she left him feeling simple, clean in ways that he couldn't describe with just words.

He remembered that when he finally pulled away, the hand on her hip rising to her cheek to smooth away the little specks of water that still lingered there despite the spell he cast earlier. He couldn't blame it for clinging to her.

He understood the feeling.

"Let's head back," he managed.

"Together?" she asked breathlessly. 

He found her hand, wove his fingers like string between hers, and relished in the understanding that the keys of a piano never were meant to rest alone in the first place.

"Together."


End file.
